Brijean entitled their 2021 breakthrough Feelings, and in retrospect, doing so doubled down on a defining cornerstone of theirs in solidifying their foundational energy as something their music thrives off: body, mind, and inner spirit moving rhythmically in unison with that of the universe in every way it expands, shapeshifts, and carries through our human experience without resistance.

With their fourth studio album, Macro, the experimental pop duo of singer-songwriter Brijean Murphy (who has since become the percussive pulse for Mitski, Poolside, and Toro y Moi’s live bands) and multi-instrumentalist and producer Doug Stuart exponentiate those sentiments onto a cosmic level. Soundwaves aerate emotions through a ’60s psychedelic dayglow, spellbinding dream-pop, disco lite, humid tropicália, and cool respites of jazz R&B that complimentary color all corners of the emotional spectrum with all of life’s highs and lows, or better sung through sound than stated, as a “Rollercoaster”.

In a year that has already produced standouts within similar vibrations moving through our peripheries’ past, present, and future states by kindred soundmakers Broadcast and Crumb, Brijean’s refraction of it accentuates brighter synesthesia hues, texturizing the mood board with additional layers of harmony and effects, thanks to broadening their cast of collaborators in indie rocker Chris Cohen, DJ Johnson of global beatniks Khruangbin, lapsteel specialist Ryan Richter as well as additional strings, brass, and percussive instrumentation. Their meditations bounce along smooth-shifting cardio synapses as much as they become tendril, fantastical exhales down euphoric avenues. As we are, Brijean’s rhythmic art projection is varied yet intertwined — the complexities of being absorbed by the vortex made into a fun delirium.

Highlights: “Euphoric Avenue”, “Workin’ On It”, “Laura”

Brijean’s Macro is available now on Ghostly International.

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